I'm the Father
by Gillian Leigh
Summary: My take on how Mulder was finally allowed into Scully's hospital room after her partial abruption.


Title: I'm the Father  
  
Author: Gillian Leigh  
  
Disclaimer: Last time I checked I was neither male nor Chris Carter.  
  
Summary: You know how Scully has that partial abruption and ends up in the hospital? Well I was wondering how Mulder was eventually allowed in her hospital room with no objections from that nurse... Here's my take on it. With an AU ending, b/c of course Chris Carter couldn't give us this in the actual show...  
  
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Mulder swore under his breath when he saw the nurse coming in his direction. He ducked out of Scully's doorway, and closed the door behind him. By the time he took one step away the nurse had cornered him. Why do I feel like I've just been caught looking for my hidden Christmas presents? Mulder asked himself as the nurse stood before him, and crossed her arms.  
"Well, well, we meet again, Mr. Mulder. You know the drill, no one but family to see Ms. Scully..." she said. He grinned meekly at her.  
"Yeah, that's something I need to talk to you about..." She quirked an eyebrow. He stepped across the hall, so that if Scully awoke she couldn't hear him telling a total stranger something they had sworn to keep secret to protect their jobs, and he couldn't believe he was going to confide something he'd even kept from Scully in this woman. "You see," he said, clearing his throat and dropping his voice to a whisper. "Well...in a way I am family." The nurse looked skeptical.  
"Really?" she questioned dryly. "How is that?"  
"Well, I'm not truly Dana's family by marriage or blood, but I am family to her baby," he replied. A beat. "I'm the father." Her eyebrows went up, and her expression softened.  
"You know you could've saved yourself a lot of trouble if you had just told me that to begin with..." she said, a small smile gracing her stern features.  
"Those men who were with me, one is my colleague and the other is my boss...you see, Dana and I work--worked... together, and inter-office relationships are pretty much forbidden. If either of them knew, it would jeopardize our careers as agents," he said. The nurse shook her head.  
"I had a suspicion it was you..." She was actually smiling now, and Mulder smiled back. Her smile disappeared slightly. "Administration might still give me a bit of a problem about you going into her room though..." Mulder reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.  
"Would it help if she was wearing this?" he questioned, opening the box. The nurse gasped at the size of the diamond in the ring.  
"Damn!" she exclaimed, whistling. He closed the box and slipped it into his pocket. Glancing up and down the hallway, the nurse looked Mulder in the eye and said, "Alright, you go propose to that girl of yours, and do it quick. But if you get her riled up and send her into labor, I'll kick your ass, you got that?" Mulder laughed, and shook her hand.  
"Got it."  
"Good luck," she whispered winking at him before turning to walk down the hall. Mulder quietly opened the door to Scully's hospital room and sank down into the chair beside her bed.  
Unbeknownst to him, the nurse crept back down the hallway and peeked her head around the doorframe, watching them through the opening. She watched as Mulder gently stroked Scully's cheek, and her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked a few times before focusing on him. Then she smiled.  
"Mulder... I was wondering when you were going to drop by," she said tiredly. He smiled at her, and said,  
"I've been by, but you were sleeping."  
"I spoke to Agent Doggett before; how's he doing?" she questioned, grasping his hand with one hand and rubbing in circles over her belly with the other.  
"He's fine," Mulder replied. Scully smiled slightly.  
"That's good," she said. Smiling at him, she said, "The baby's awake." He put his hand on her belly near hers, and she gently repositioned it, laying hers on top. "Hiccups," she added with a laugh. He gently leaned over and kissed her forehead. The nurse turned and walked away, deciding to give them a moment.  
As she stepped away from the door, she heard Mulder say, "Listen, Scully, there's something I want to ask you..."  
  
-------x------- -le fin- -------x------- 


End file.
